MM Proof Change

[barturtle]

If MM would come out with a once a year 100+/barrel proof product, I don't think there would be this much bitching over a 3% drop in ABV in the standard product.

They would probably just all end up collecting dust on some shelf next to whatever year's superbowlelectionformercollegeplayer bottle of the month in some collection. Nobody would ever get to drink one.

[Clavius]

WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY. PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY.

Maker's Mark® Bourbon Whisky and Maker's 46® Bourbon Whisky. 42% and 47% ABV.

© 2013 Maker's Mark Distillery, Inc. Loretto, KY.

Switch appears to have already been made.

[White Dog]

It's cute that the Samuels make these statements as if they have anything to do with the decision making. Hey Billy Jr., who had a great job based on who his daddy was, we know you no longer own anything, and are only a figure head, so stop saying "we" made this decision.

[jeffrey r]

WT is in on the piling on now.

"Less Water. More Flavor."

With a picture of 101 Bourbon. Guess they won't mention what happened to the 101 Rye...

Edited February 11, 2013 by jeffrey r

[MyOldKyDram]

Ha, goodness if there's anyone that has no room to say anything...

[ebo]

They would probably just all end up collecting dust on some shelf next to whatever year's superbowlelectionformercollegeplayer bottle of the month in some collection. Nobody would ever get to drink one.

Yea........... there's that.

[AaronWF]

With the all but non-existent eye of the TTB on all things bourbon these days, who's to say that they didn't start filling bottles at the lower proof months ago without changing the label? There's their 'taste test' proving that nobody can tell a difference in taste, and this announcement is really just a coming out party for the new label.

[matthewdc]

I guess we'll have to start a "in memoriam" thread for the 90 proof Maker's...

[BourbonBalls]

I think this is an opportunity for Heaven Hill to promote their new wheated bourbon, LARCENY. It's at 92 proof, about 6 years old and a wheater. And a BEATER of Makers since they are diddling with the proof. The HH guys have to get their marketing going on this!

[squire]

If ever there was a time to steal market share.

[smknjoe]

I drink MM on occasion and preferred Larceny the last time I had it. So, I'm not too worried about the change. MM is usually around for mixing anyway.

Spelling edit.

Edited February 12, 2013 by smknjoe

[ThomasH]

MM 90 is selling fast here. One stoe was already out of 750's and 1L's!

Thomas

[squire]

It's the new coke marketing philosophy, we announce we changed it, people rush out and buy the old stuff out, then we change it back.

[MyOldKyDram]

So would that make the new Jack Daniels unaged rye Crystal Pepsi?

[squire]

Only in selected markets.

[wmpevans]

MM is on the defensive now. But, in the long run, who but us whiskey geeks will really notice. Probably noone 6 months after the rollout.

This is really a big gamble for them. Especially, as noted above, with the HH Larceny product out.

I'm thinking marketing blunders 101:skep:: New Coke, Netflix streaming move. Others??

[jcg9779]

I hadn't bought Maker's in a while and I probably won't buy it again for a long time. Too much good OWA out there!

[Pieface]

That's what I would have thought, though BT did follow up their "super"-snarky original post on FB, with the following "just"-snarky post on FB that has not been pulled:

"90 PROOF" with a picture of BT.

Perhaps b/c it is the BT page, they don't and won't refer to the Weller wheated bourbons, but that is the logical distinction for the distillery to point out--wheated bourbons of greater age and proof than MM, at a better price (that most of us here would also say taste better than MM).

Anyway, the whole thing is pretty interesting, and will be more interesting to see how it plays out in the short and long term.

Maybe one of the Aussies should post a picture of the 80 proof BT we get here

[G-Rat]

NPR ran a 5 minute spot on this today. Interviewed two or three people who were not happy about the change. Also made a passing remark about the proof going down and the price staying the same. Was on the whole negative. I thought that this was some pretty significant national press in a bad way.

[ErichPryde]

Agreed on the wording of BT's post. It came off a bit disingenuous when I read it to be honest. They should be touting their products, rather than calling out the practice of watering down bourbon, which all of these guys do to some extent.

[Brisko]

Buffalo Trace

Elmer T. Lee 107 BUB -- 90 proof

Eagle Rare 10, 101 proof, 90 proof

Buffalo Trace, export only -- 80 proof

no more age statement on OWA (but it's STILL 7 years old- we swear!)

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve 101 --90 proof

Wild Turkey Rye 101 -- 81 proof

Jack Daniel's 90, 86, then 80 proof

Evan Williams- suffered proof cuts (the older 7 year higher proof black wasn't too bad!)

EVERY single distiller has done this on some level or other. Every single one. Overhead goes up, popularity goes up, and quality goes down. Eventually only a few brands will be viewed as quality, and then the whole bottom will drop out so we can start over again (maybe that won't happen, but American Business is Business)

Beam has fooled around with their Black label, too. When it was 7 years old it was 90 proof and now at 8 years old it's 86. I guess maybe it's a quid pro quo--another year in the wood for 4 degrees of proof.

I'll bet Heaven Hill is wishing they had Larceny in national distribution right about now.

[Jono]

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/02/12/maker-mark-reducing-alcohol-volume-to-stretch-supplies-its-bourbon-amid-strong/?intcmp=features

The current story:

Maker's Mark reducing alcohol volume to stretch supplies of its bourbon amid strong demand

Published February 12, 2013

Associated Press

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/02/12/maker-mark-reducing-alcohol-volume-to-stretch-supplies-its-bourbon-amid-strong/?intcmp=features#ixzz2KhdgGXNe

[TheOakMonster]

I'll bet Heaven Hill is wishing they had Larceny in national distribution right about now.

Maybe they'll rush more to market in an effort to capitalize, be successful, run short on product and then be forced to reduce proof or abandon markets.

[Brisko]

Maybe they'll rush more to market in an effort to capitalize, be successful, run short on product and then be forced to reduce proof or abandon markets.

Thanks, that made me chuckle and I could use one today.

It's worth noting that while the outcry is loud, Maker's at least approached this the right way. Think back to the WT rye debacle and how we found out about it (Josh saw the new product on the MI price list) and how many conflicting official and semi-official statements were made before we got the whole story.

[Quantum]

My understanding was that they are trying to meet rising global demand. While there might not be a significant shortage in the US now, there would be if they started shipping more overseas.

While I have never seen a store without MM on the shelf, I have noticed that I rarely see the 1.75L bottles anymore. I just though the MM46 had cannibalized the shelf space.